Eurotopics.net

There were signs of rapprochement in the negotiations on the Ukraine war on Tuesday. Russia said it plans to reduce its attacks on Kyiv and concentrate on eastern Ukraine. Ukraine formulated conditions for agreeing to neutrality, including the establishment of a group of states that will guarantee the country's security. Europe's press remains very sceptical.

The planned meeting of the Visegrád Group in Budapest has been cancelled. Poland and the Czech Republic had declined to participate on the grounds that Hungary's prime minister has not sufficiently distanced himself from Russia. Europe's press discusses whether this means the end of the V4 format.

Turkey was an obvious choice as the venue for the negotiations between Ukraine and Russia: it shares a border with both countries. Turkey is a member of Nato and supported Russia's opponents in Syria and Nagorno-Karabakh, but it also has frequent quarrels with the EU over gas, Cyprus and refugees. As a mediator, it has now gained additional clout. Commentators are less than enthusiastic.

With the war in Ukraine, relations between Russia and the rest of Europe have reached their lowest point since the end of the Cold War. All EU countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia have been put on a list of "hostile countries" by Putin. The European press looks to the past and reflects on how Europe should prepare for the future.

It was the defining moment of the Academy Awards ceremony on Monday: actor Will Smith slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage for making a joke about Smith's wife. Commentators criticise this show of brutal machoism.